The Snow Leopard Baby of the Black Leopard Family

Andres quickly returned to the temple after delivering the message to Tiel.

Tiel saw Andres off and then returned to her room. Ria combed Tiel's hair again and helped her change into indoor clothes.

"Miss, did you hear something unpleasant?" Ria asked, noticing a change in Tiel's mood.

Ria had been serving Tiel closely for five years, so she could read Tiel's mood just by looking at her face, easier than eating cold soup.

"Uh? Oh, it's nothing."

Tiel decided to keep the conversation with Andres to herself.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Ria. Rather, the story Andres had told was so shocking that Tiel herself could hardly believe it.

'The night has become longer than the day.'

Could this be related to the recent series of events?

While Tiel pondered silently, Ria completely undid the tightly braided hair.

"Then, that's good. Would you like to rest a bit? I'll wake you up before dinner time."

Ria gently patted Tiel's shoulder and laid the ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) girl down. Tiel did not resist Ria's touch and quietly closed her eyes.

"Then, just for a little while. Please wake me when dad and grandpa return to the mansion."

"Rest assured and sleep well, Miss."

Tiel lay down, covered herself with a fluffy blanket, and soon fell asleep.

Ria carefully checked the blanket, made sure the windows were closed to prevent drafts, and left the room.

Click.

The door closed.

***

'Where am I?'

Tiel opened her eyes in the darkness. Blinking, she saw a blurry landscape.

It was a place she had never seen before. Tiel was startled and instinctively tried to use her ability.

However, her ability did not activate.

'Why, why is this happening?'

Like when she was younger, Tiel clasped her hands together and tried desperately to use her ability.

Instead of light gathering in her palm, shadows crept in.

The shadows seemed like insects or perhaps someone’s shadows, making Tiel shake her hands as if she had touched something she shouldn't have.

"Where on earth am I..."

She was definitely in her bedroom at the Asterian mansion before she opened her eyes here.

First, Tiel cautiously checked if she could summon the fish.

But no fish appeared.

'My ability doesn't work, so I guess I can't summon fish either.'

Why did this happen right after hearing the ominous words from the high priest? Tiel's mind was filled with ominous thoughts.

'Did someone drag me here while I was asleep?'

If that were the case, the servants and knights of the Asterian mansion, dad, grandpa, and the brothers wouldn't have just stood by.

That's when she heard it.

In the darkness, a murmuring noise approached.

Tiel, as if bewitched, moved toward the sound. The noise grew louder.

'What is that noise?'

Just as Tiel concentrated to make out the sound...

Hiss!

A swarm of snakes burst out of the bushes, attacking Tiel. In a panic, Tiel ran blindly.

'What, what is this!'

Thud!

Running without looking ahead, she tripped over something but quickly got up and ran again.

Running on two legs had its limits, so she even transformed into her beast form.

She turned into a beautiful white snow leopard. Although much larger than when she was young, she was still considerably smaller compared to other leopards.

The snow leopard ran through the darkness.

And not long after...

Hiss!

The snake swarm attacked Tiel again. Tiel ran desperately but eventually fell again.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

This time, she couldn't get up right away. Then, the snakes, as if they had been waiting, tightly coiled around the snow leopard's body.

'No, I don't want this!'

On the snow leopard's body, indescribable monsters piled up layer by layer.

And at that moment, Tiel saw a familiar face of a girl.

'That girl...!'

It was the girl who had tried to attack Tiel. She was now being protected in the Asterian mansion.

But why was she here...

"Scream!"

Tiel screamed and sat up in bed. Her body was drenched in cold sweat, soaking the indoor clothes she had changed into.

Her violent movements in her sleep had tossed the blanket far away.

Tiel gasped for air and looked around.

It was her room.

'A dream, was it all a dream?'

Realizing all that had happened was a dream, Tiel stroked her rapidly beating heart.

'Why did I have such a dream? Why did that girl appear in my dream?'

Was it because of the 'words' she heard from the high priest during the day?

No. Tiel had been having nightmares for a while now. That's why Ria had been giving her a sleep-inducing tea.

It seemed unlikely that the stress from the day's events alone caused this dream. Tiel walked over to the window, pulled back the curtains, and opened the window.

Moonlight poured in brightly, reflecting off Tiel’s white hair like waves shimmering in the light. The girl stood at the window enjoying the night breeze for a long time.

Then, she cautiously brought her hands together and tried to use her ability.

Whoosh!

Unlike in the dream, small fragments of light gathered in her hands.

They gathered and grew, forming a large sphere. At the same time, two fish appeared with a pop! and circled around Tiel's palm.

Relieved that she could still use her ability, Tiel split the gathered light fragments into hundreds of pieces and scattered them outside the window.

The brightly shining light fragments fell like snowflakes over the garden.

The girl watched the scene quietly and then, with a grunt, closed the window.

'What time is it?'

It seemed much later than the dinner time Ria mentioned.

Perhaps Ria had come to wake her but chose not to disturb her sleep, knowing that Tiel had been restless lately.

Creeeak...

Tiel carefully opened her bedroom door. The maids roaming the corridor approached Tiel swiftly.

"Miss, are you awake?"

"Are you hungry? Should we prepare a meal for you?"

"Uh, it's okay. But where are dad and grandpa? Where are they?"

Tiel asked cautiously, and the maids responded with bright smiles.

"They might both be resting in their rooms. Should we deliver a message to them?"

"No, I'll go. And there's one more thing I want to ask, do you remember that girl from before?"

"The girl?"

"Yes, that girl who was caught for attacking me. Do you know where she is now?"

"Ah, that girl..."

The maid showed a troubled expression. Perhaps Alpheus or Karsus had previously instructed Tiel not to mention that girl.

Tiel, not wanting to make the maid uncomfortable, shook her head.

"Never mind! Forget I asked. I'll ask my father."

"Yes, Miss. Thank you."

The maids, noticing the kindness of their young mistress, smiled brightly and passed by quickly.

Tiel also headed to Karsus's room with a lively step.

Although Tiel normally moved briskly, her steps were somewhat sluggish today due to the nightmare she had experienced.

Tiel cautiously knocked on the door to Karsus's room.

Soon after, the door opened, and Karsus Asterian appeared from inside.

“Tiel?”